September 2014

09/30/2014

An old flame rekindled . . .Zara Cinders always knew Ham Reece was the one, but he wasn't interested in settling down. When she found someone who was, Ham walked out of her life. Three years later, Zara's lost her business, her marriage, and she's barely getting by in a tiny apartment on the wrong side of the tracks. As soon as Ham hears about Zara's plight, he's on her doorstep offering her a lifeline. Now, it will take every ounce of will power she possesses to resist all that he offers.

Ham was always a traveling man, never one to settle down in one town, with one woman, for more time than absolutely necessary. But Ham's faced his own demons, and he's learned a lot. About himself, and about the life he knows he's meant to live. So when he hears that Zara's having a rough time, he wants to be the one to help. In fact, he wants to do more than that for Zara. A lot more. But first, he must prove to Zara that he's a changed man.

Kristen Ashley grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana, and has lived in Denver, Colorado, and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multigenerational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland, and Kristen grew up listening to the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Whitesnake. Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music and love was a good way to grow up. And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

I turned, trying to beat it back, finding it difficult at night, the dream so fresh, so real, and Ham in bed down the freaking hall.

I tossed, considered getting out my toy and taking care of business but Ham was down the hall. He slept like me, hard and deep. I didn’t know him to wake up in the middle of the night but, with my luck, I wasn’t taking chances.

Nina suggested I be quiet while I took care of business but that was impossible because my toy was not quiet and, well, I wasn’t either. I wasn’t loud but I made noises. Who didn’t?

I didn’t know if I could squelch them and I was too afraid to try.

I turned then tossed and it didn’t leave me.

Basic needs.

Ham’s words hit me at the same time it hit me I had them, too.

Basic needs.

Oh yes. I had them, too.

“Damn,” I whispered.

It was then Nina’s words came to me.

Roll the dice.

“Oh God,” I moaned.

Except for that disastrous night at The Dog, Ham had not once spent the night somewhere else.

And, if memory served (and I knew it did), he had a high libido. When we were together, we would go out and do stuff, chat, cuddle, goof around.

But we had a lot of sex.

Even knowing my mind forced by my desires, my need, was leading me through a ludicrous rationalization, I threw the covers back and got out of bed.

Then I sat back down on the bed.

“What am I doing?” I asked the dark.

Roll the dice, Nina urged.

I could roll the dice. Just that. Roll the dice.

Ham could say no. He could turn me away. That would be mortifying but I was already dealing with tough crap with regards to Ham on a day-to-day basis. I could live with that.

Or, if I rolled the dice, we both could understand we knew what this was and we could give each other something.

I pushed up from the bed and headed to the door.

“This is crazy, stupid, scary,” I whispered.

I still opened the door and walked down the hall to Ham’s room.

I stopped at his door.

Was I going to do this?

I opened his door.

I guessed I was.

I moved to his bed. He was on his side, facing me. He had the blinds open and a hand shoved under his pillow. The covers were to his waist and he had nothing on up top. Not unusual. If it was cold, Ham would put on pajama bottoms but mostly he slept nude.

Even in the dark, he was hot.

I sat on the side of his bed and he jerked awake, sitting up, his hand flashing out and curling, hard and tight, around the back of my neck as I gasped.

He came fully awake. His hand didn’t leave me but it relaxed and he growled sleepily, “Jesus, fuck, you scared the fuckin’ shit outta me.”

And I would. I hadn’t thought about it but the last time someone snuck into his room while he was sleeping, they’d been wielding an ax.

“God, Ham, I’m sorry. I didn’t think,” I whispered, lifting a hand and putting it on his chest, feeling the crisp hair there, wanting to slide my fingers through so badly, my mouth watered with the need.

His hand slid to the side of my neck.

“You okay?” he asked.

“No,” I answered.

“You sick?” he asked.

“No,” I answered.

“What’s up, baby?”

Before I lost my courage, I blew on the dice and let fly.

In other words, I leaned into him, aiming fortunately accurately, and my mouth hit his.

Her sweetest mistake . . . Cool as a Chicago winter, private events planner Cara DeLuca is a model of self-control . . . until she meets the one temptation she can't resist: Shane Doyle. The sexy, Irish pastry chef is too hot, too sure, too young, and after a crazy night in Vegas-her new husband. While at first Cara wants nothing more than a way out of her sham marriage to Shane, she soon finds that beneath his farm boy demeanor lies a man who can match her drive, both in and out of the bedroom. How can the wrong guy feel so deliciously right?

. . . Tastes so, so good Shane has carefully structured his career and life around one goal: connecting with the family that doesn't know he exists. Marrying a woman with more issues than a magazine stand wasn't part of the plan, but melting Cara's icy exterior is so worth the detour. Now as the annulment date nears and long-buried secrets are revealed, Shane will have to fight for the one thing guaranteeing the perfect life he craves . . . the current Mrs. Shane Doyle.

Kate Meader writes contemporary romance that serves up delicious food, sexy heroes, and heroines with a dash of sass. Originally from Ireland, she now makes her home in Chicago, a city made for food, romance, and laughter - and where she met her own sexy hero. When not writing about men who cook and the women who drool over them, she works in an academic library. Visit her website at http://katemeader.com and follow her on Twitter @kittymeader

“I’m sorry about my behavior the night of the dancing,” she said. “I was rude to you.”

“This is a tricky situation and you want to put it behind you. Neither of us wants a marriage, LT. I get that.” The unmistakable heart twinge he felt right then surprised him, but not enough to derail his train of thought. “So, it’ll just have to be sex.”

Her eyes fluttered wide and her mouth worked. “What?”

“We can just do a sex-only thing, like a married-with-benefits deal.”

Gotcha. Oh, his little beauty wanted to laugh. Her lips twitched and his dick twitched at the thought of bringing a smile to her exquisitely melancholy face. She appeared to be mulling it over, so he went in for the kill.

“Until we can make it annulled-with-benefits.” He waggled his eyebrows and pulled that brimming laugh out of her. Zing. Why did it feel better for being so hard won?

On the downside of the laugh, she said, “Speaking of which, I’m picking up the papers tomorrow.”

“Hm,” he hummed. There was the twinge in his chest again, a touch sharper now. This was good, wasn’t it? Never had his life needed more clarity than it did of late, and fixing his marital status would go a long way to resharpening his focus.

She cocked her head. “Lili thinks I should take advantage of all you have to offer.”

“I always liked that girl.”

As quick as he had made gains, he lost them as another Cara brain check whipped them away. He imagined her calculating the statistical probabilities for disaster and coming up with ninety-nine point nine percent. This woman thought far too much.

“Shane, I’m flattered but frankly, you’re not my type.” She gave one of those I-don’t-want-to-offend-you-but-I’m-gonna-anyway smiles. “You’re much too nice for me.”

It wouldn’t be the first time he’d heard it and it made him angrier than a bull battling a bee swarm. It was the stuff of chick flicks and crappy sitcoms, how women love a bad boy and good guys finish last. Where in the hell did she get off calling him nice?

“Would you prefer I take baseballs out of kids’ hands at Wrigley Field or trip old ladies in the street? You want a guy who’s not nice?” Here he was defending “nice” when he wasn’t feeling particularly nice. Time to kick this up a notch.

“Were you not turned on the other night?”

Her mouth gaped and even that looked good on her. Was there no end to the ways she could get his blood pumping south?

He filled in her shocked silence. “The other night, when you kissed me—”

“You kissed me!”

“Semantics. When you kissed me and licked my chest.”

Flushing, she brought her palm to her cheek to cool it. “I know what I did. I don’t need you to remind me.”

Man, seeing her all het up did hot and dirty things to him. He moved in and gently tipped up her jaw. She shook under his touch but she didn’t retreat.

“I think you do need me to remind you. I think you need to be reminded of all the passion and fire that exists beneath that cool exterior you show to the world. I bet no one sees that, do they? No one sees how out of control you get when the right button is pressed. Maybe it’s just a whisper of my hand across your breasts . . .” He dropped his gaze to confirm that what he was saying had some effect on her and, yep, to look at her lovely cleavage. Through the erotically thin material of that dress, he found her nipples primed to hard points. “Maybe a breath close to your ear or my thumb gliding across your lip will set you off.”

Her tongue darted, making her lips moist, almost begging him to swipe that pouty lower lip with the pad of his finger. Take a soft suck, a juicy bite. The air felt close, the sweet scent of the cakes, Cara’s skin, and their choppy breathing combining to coat all his senses.

“Still think I’m not your type? Because your body says different. It’s telling me that we would be very compatible indeed. I bet if I were to run my hand down . . .” He trailed his fingertips down the placket of her dress, between her breasts, along her clenching stomach, until he sensed with his fingertips the band of her panties. A sexy thong, his Braille-for-underwear skills told him.

“I bet I’d find you’re as wet for me as I’m hard for you. Nice? Let me tell you, what I’m thinking about you is the opposite of nice.”

For Olivia Bentley, Lucky Harbor is more than the town where she runs her new vintage shop. It's the place where folks are friendly to strangers-and nobody knows her real name. Olivia does a good job of keeping her past buried, not getting too cozy with anyone . . . until she sees a man drowning. Suddenly she's rushing into the surf, getting up close and personal with the hottest guy she's ever laid hands on.

Charter boat captain Cole Donovan has no problem with a gorgeous woman throwing her arms around his neck in an effort to "save" him. In fact, he'd like to spend a lot more time skin-to-skin with Olivia. He's just not expecting that real trouble is about to come her way. Will it bring her deeper into Cole's heart, or will it be the end of Olivia's days in little Lucky Harbor?

Jill's Bio:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill's bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

You can learn more about Jill at: JillShalvis.com Twitter @jillshalvis

Facebook.com/jillshalvis

HE'S SO FINE is available in mass market paperback, ebook and audio book formats wherever books are sold.

09/29/2014

Interested in winning a boxed set of these titles? Share this post on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest and you'll be entered to win. Good luck!

RING IN THE HOLIDAYS by Katie Lane

Psychologist Ellie Simpson is about to get a healthy dose of sex therapy. Leaving her cheating boyfriend behind, she has everything she needs for a quick rebound: Vegas, plenty of champagne, and a proposition from the sexiest man she's ever seen. As her handsome stranger helps her ring in the New Year-over and over again-Ellie finds herself blissfully losing all of her inhibitions. Attorney Matthew McPherson is good at making women lose things, like their minds and underwear. With his athletic build and soulful eyes, he doesn't need to use his powers of persuasion or famous last name to get a woman into bed. But when morning comes, Matthew finds Ellie is the only woman he can't bear to leave-ever. It's enough to make him wonder if what happens in Vegas really has to stay there.

Katie Lane is the USA Today bestselling author of the Deep in the Heart of Texas and Hunk for the Holiday series. Katie lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and when she isn't writing, enjoys reading, going to the gym, golfing, traveling, or just snuggling next to her high school sweetheart and cairn terrier Roo.

by Jill Shalvis, Dream a Little Dream: Melissa has kept every man at a safe distance-especially firefighter Ian, a sexy friend with sexy benefits. But Ian secretly longs for more. Luckily, 'tis the season for giving love a chance . . .

by Kristen Ashley, Every Year: Holidays don't come easy for Shy and his brother, Landon. But with the magic of Christmas, along with a little help from Tabby and her family, the Cage brothers are about to get the gift of a lifetime . . .

by Hope Ramsay, Silent Night: Down on her luck and evicted from her apartment, single mother Maryanne hopes to start over in Last Chance. When the snow begins to fall, it looks like her baby might literally spend Christmas Eve in a manger. And Maryanne might celebrate the holiday with a handsome stranger.

by Molly Cannon, Have Yourself a Messy Little Christmas: Lincoln is a bachelor who's set in his ways-until a professional organizer dressed up as Mrs. Claus changes his life, one tip at a time. . .

by Marilyn Pappano, A Family for Christmas: War widow Ilena doesn't mind spending Christmas alone. But when a new doctor blows into town with the winter wind, will she get her secret Christmas wish?

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill's bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

You can learn more at: JillShalvis.com Twitter @jillshalvis Facebook.com/jillshalvis

Kristen Ashley grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana, and has lived in Denver, Colorado, and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multigenerational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland, and Kristen grew up listening to the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Whitesnake.

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better. You can learn more at: KristenAshley.net Twitter @KristenAshley68 Facebook.com/kristenashleybooks

Hope Ramsay grew up on the North Shore of Long Island, but every summer Momma would pack her off under the care of Aunt Annie to go visiting with relatives in the midlands of South Carolina. Her extended family includes its share of colorful aunts and uncles, as well as cousins by the dozens, who provide the fodder for the characters you'll find in Last Chance, South Carolina. She's a two-time finalist in the Golden Heart and is married to a good ol' Georgia boy who resembles every single one of her heroes. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia, where you can often find her on the back deck, picking on her thirty-five-year-old Martin guitar.

Molly lives a charmed life in Texas with hernearly perfect husband and extremely large cat Nelson. When she's not writing, she spends her days reading, taking dance classes with the hubby and watching all kinds of sports.

You can learn more at: MollyCannon.com Twitter, @cannonmolly

Known for her intensely emotional stories, Marilyn Pappano is the USA Today bestselling author of nearly eighty books. She has made regular appearances on bestseller lists and has received recognition for her work in the form of numerous awards. Though her husband's Navy career took them across the United States, he and Ms. Pappano now live in Oklahoma high on a hill that overlooks her hometown. They have one son and daughter-in-law, an adorable grandson, and a pack of mischievous dogs.

You can learn more at: MarilynPappano.com Twitter, @MarilynPappano Facebook.com/MarilynPappanoFanPage

IT HAPPENED AT CHRISTMAS by Debbie Mason

Free-spirited activist Skylar Davis is out of money and out of options. After using up her trust fund trying to save the world, she hides out in Christmas, hoping the kindness of friends will help her forget the reckless actions of her past. All goes well . . . until she comes face-to-face with one of her mistakes: the town's gorgeous young mayor. Ethan O'Connor likes his life drama-free and predictable now that he's about to make the move from small-town politics to the Colorado State Senate. Then Skye blows back into town, as impulsive and passionate as he remembers. If word ever got out about their night together-the night he's never been able to forget-the scandal could cripple his career. Yet as he starts his campaign, Ethan finds that, like the town of Christmas itself, he can't get Skye out of his head . . . or his heart.

Debbie Mason is the bestselling author of the Christmas, Colorado series. Her books have been praised for their "likable characters, clever dialogue and juicy plots" (RT Book Reviews). She also writes historical paranormals as Debbie Mazzuca. Her MacLeod series has received several nominations for best paranormal as well as a Holt Medallion Award of Merit. When she isn't writing or reading, Debbie enjoys spending time with her very own real-life hero, their four wonderful children, an adorable grandbaby, and a yappy Yorkie named Bella.

You can learn more at: AuthorDebbieMason.com Twitter @AuthorDebMason

MISTLETOE ON MAIN STREET by Olivia Miles

Briar Creek's quaint shop windows, cozy homes nestled in snow, and neighborly residents are what Christmas dreams are made of--for everyone except Grace Madison. She left her hometown years ago to pursue a writing career. But when her father's death leaves his bookstore empty, Grace must return to face why she fled Vermont in the first place: Luke Hastings, who still heats her up like a shot of smoky whiskey on a cold winter's night. Grace is back, and Luke is worried. How much has she changed as a bestselling author in the big city? What memories will she stir up? And was the choice he made five years ago the biggest mistake of his life? Now, with their past, present, and future rocking around the Christmas tree, it's time for Grace and Luke to face the music . . . and the mistletoe.

Olivia Miles is a Chicago-based romance writer. Having grown up in New England, Olivia attended McGill University in Montreal, Quebec before settling in Chicago where she lives with her husband, their daughter, and two ridiculously pampered pups.

When she is not chasing after her little ones, she is hard at work creating feisty heroines and alpha heroes with a heart. A city girl with a fondness for small town charm, Olivia enjoys highlighting both ways of life in her stories.

09/18/2014

Crime really stings in Killer WASPs (Witness Impulse e-book, on sale 9/16/2014, $1.99), a Witness Original from debut author Amy Korman. If you love cocktails, antiquing, parties, shopping and the occasional crime-lite thrown in amid vodka tonics and tennis matches at the club, then you’ll love Killer WASPs. The first installment in this modern and cozy series features crime, romance, and fun amid the classic estates of Philadelphia’s Main Line.

Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, is a haven for East Coast WASPs, where tennis tournaments and cocktails at the club are revered traditions. Little happens in the sleepy suburb, and that is the way the Lilly Pulitzer–clad residents prefer it. So when antiques store owner Kristin Clark and her portly basset hound stumble upon the area's newest real estate developer lying unconscious beneath the hydrangea bushes lining the driveway of one of Bryn Mawr's most distinguished estates, the entire town is abuzz with gossip and intrigue.

When the attacker strikes again just days later, Kristin and her three best friends—Holly, a glamorous chicken nugget heiress with a penchant for high fashion; Joe, a decorator who's determined to land his own HGTV show; and Bootsie, a preppy but nosy newspaper reporter—join forces to solve the crime. While their investigation takes them to cocktail parties, flea markets, and the country club, they must unravel the mystery before the assailant claims another victim.

About the Author: Amy Korman is a former senior editor and staff writer for Philadelphia Magazine, and author of Frommer’s Guide to Philadelphia. She has written for Town & Country, House Beautiful, Men’s Health, and Cosmopolitan. Killer WASPS is her first novel.

09/15/2014

Jen: As a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, your personal journey to publication is a story in itself. So that my readers may catch a glimpse into the life of the woman behind the words, please briefly share with us your educational and professional background.

Darcie: I have a B.A. in English and a certificate in environmental science from Indiana University. I also have a law degree from the University of Baltimore. I became very interested in environmental matters while I was in college, which led to a decision to pursue a career in environmental law. After graduating law school, I accepted a position as an attorney with a nonpartisan office in the U.S. Senate, where I was responsible for drafting environmental and natural resource legislation. It really was the ideal legal job for me -- it dealt with areas of law I found fascinating and important, and the position required a LOT of writing. Probably 90 percent of my work day was spent writing, and I loved it.

Jen: Please describe for us your “Aha!” moment when you decided to take the plunge and pursue a career as a writer.

Darcie: After the self-published ebook version of my first novel, The Mill River Recluse, unexpectedly took off, Ballantine Books offered me a contract for two new novels set in the same fictional village of Mill River, Vermont. This offer brought me to a huge crossroads. I was a federal employee, and I knew that the federal government has strict regulations governing outside employment of its employees. This meant that if I wanted to write novels as my job and not a hobby, I would have to obtain special permission to accept the contract, and I would be subject to many restrictions on what I could do to promote any new books.

For a few months, I struggled to find a way that I could keep my job and continue to write, but it became clear that taking a chance on a writing career would never work unless I was completely free to give it all of my time and effort. With the demands of my attorney position and the federal restrictions to which I was subject, that would be impossible.

It was still a scary prospect to think of leaving a job in which I was comfortable and confident -- one with colleagues I loved and a steady paycheck. I also knew that a writing career couldn't be maintained with just one bestselling ebook. I'd have to write additional books that readers liked. But, being a writer was a dream I'd had since I was a little girl, and I knew that I couldn't bear to turn down Ballantine's offer and live the rest of my life wondering "what if?" That was really the "Aha! moment" -- the conscious realization that I had to take a chance and follow my heart.

Jen: In terms of nuts and bolts, approximately how long does it take for you to complete a novel? And, what is the most challenging part of the process?

Darcie: It took me about six months of solid writing to finish a first draft of each of my second and third novels. Before I start writing, though, I do quite a bit of thinking, outlining, and research. I need to know how a story will start, how it will end, and a few things that will happen along the way before I feel comfortable beginning to write.

The most challenging aspects for me are digging deep emotionally to create complex characters and dealing with the pressure I feel to write books that readers will like as much as (or more than) they did my first. My answer to both of these things is to focus on writing what feels right in my gut and what makes me happy or satisfied as a reader. Hopefully, what ends up on the page will be something that others enjoy, too.

Jen: Your latest release The Mill River Redemption is the second book set in Mill River, Vermont. For those readers not familiar with the previous title The Mill River Recluse, what is the premise of this series?

Darcie: While each Mill River focuses on a different central story and characters, the stories tend to feature ordinary people who face rather extraordinary or unusual situations. The books share several secondary characters, though, as well as the setting itself. In fact, I think of the fictional village of Mill River almost as another central character. It's a lovely, friendly place, and it provides a huge portion of the heart and soul of the series.

Jen: The main character Josie DiSanti is in the midst of starting over after the tragic death of her husband Tony. What is the driving force behind her decision to uproot her two young girls from New York and head to Vermont?

Darcie: Fear, certainly. When she leaves New York, Josie is afraid for her own life and the lives of her daughters. She's traumatized, too, by Tony's sudden death, and she's turning to the only family she has left in an attempt to find a safe refuge. In that respect, I think that a desperate need to reconnect with and find the support of family -- even with and from someone who is basically a complete stranger -- is also a reason for her relocation to Mill River.

Jen: Years later, the girls, Emily and Rose, are summoned back to Mill River due to the untimely death of their mother, Josie. How does the past affect their present situation?

Darcie: Well, when the two sisters come together, they've not spoken to or seen each other for about a decade. It's awkward, and I think they're struggling to maintain civility at their mother's wake while simultaneously remembering all of the latent anger, grief, and frustration that caused their estrangement in the first place. It becomes harder and harder for them to keep those long-buried feelings in check as they're forced to interact with each other.

Jen: As you were writing the book, did you feel a certain connection to one of the characters?

Darcie: I probably felt the strongest connection with Ivy, who shares many characteristics with my late maternal grandmother. "Nanny," as everyone called her, was as loving and giving as Ivy, and she also shared her bawdy streak. Many of Ivy's funny quotes are things I heard Nanny say countless times growing up.

Jen: Let’s switch gears now and talk about your promotional plans. Please take us on a brief tour of your website highlighting points of interest.

Darcie: Sure. The homepage of my website features a collage of images that relate in some way to the Mill River books. There are images of Vermont -- a village, a view of the countryside looking outward from Rutland, and the Kingsley Bridge which spans the real-life Mill River. There is also an image of spoons, the significance of which my readers will undoubtedly understand.

The big white mansion in the background of the various pages is actually a house in my hometown of Paoli, Indiana. The "Cornwell mansion," as locals refer to it, sits on a hill overlooking the town. When I was first working out the story for my first novel, the image of that big house kept popping into my head, and I wanted to work it into the narrative somehow. The "Blog" link on my website leads to another picture of the house and a bit more detailed information about it.

Of course, there are other pages on the website. Readers can learn more about me on the "About Darcie" and "Q&A" pages. The "Books" page links to cover images and descriptions of each of my first two novels, as well as retail places where they may be purchased. The remainder of the pages offers reviews of my books and information for media, book clubs, and readers in general, including an easy way to contact me.

Jen: Are you present in social media? And, what is the best way for my readers to keep abreast of your latest news?

Darcie: Yes, I'm definitely active in social media and trying to become more so! Readers can always go to my website. I also have a Facebook author page (just search for "Darcie Chan, author"), as well as a Twitter account (@DarcieChan). Although most of my latest news is posted both on my website and Facebook page, I do use Twitter to send out short updates and notices of upcoming events as well. I really love being able to interact with readers in all of these ways!

Jen: Are you currently at work on your next novel? If so, what may you share with us?

Darcie: I've actually completed the first draft of my third novel (which is also set in Mill River), and it's currently with my editor. I'm hesitant to reveal too much at this point, but I'll tell you that the story focuses on Father O'Brien, as well as some new characters in his past and present.

Jen: When you take a break from writing, how do you like to spend your free time?

Darcie: I have so little free time these days! But, I love spending time with my family, reading, playing piano, playing volleyball, and gardening.

Jen: Are you involved in any charitable causes that have influenced you in a personal or professional way?

Darcie: I've recently started supporting a nonprofit called the Ty Louis Campbell Foundation (http://www.thetlcfoundation.org/). It was established by Louis and Cindy Campbell after they lost their older son, Ty, to an aggressive brain tumor just after his fifth birthday. The aim of the foundation is to increase awareness of and funding for research and clinical trials of treatments for the deadliest childhood cancers (including brain and spinal cord tumors).

I followed a blog that Cindy kept for the last two years of Ty's life. Ty and his parents fought valiantly against his disease, and it was heartbreaking when their best efforts, and those of Ty's doctors, couldn't save him. I have a young son a few years younger than Ty was, and the Campbell family's story cut me to the core. I've never been so emotionally affected by a cause before. It is incredibly unfair when a little kid is confronted with such a deadly disease, particularly an illness for which insufficient funds are available for research and development of new therapies. I've sent the TLC Foundation signed copies of my books for use for fundraising purposes, and I'll continue to do that and whatever else I can to honor Ty's legacy and help other children with similar cancers win their battles with the disease.

Jen: Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with my readers. Best of luck in all of your future projects!

Darcie: Thank YOU so much for inviting me to do this interview, Jen! I truly appreciate the opportunity, and I wish you all the best as well!

Readers, I hope you have enjoyed my interview with Darcie Chan. Please stop by your local bookstore, library, or online retailer and pick up a copy of The Mill River Redemption today. Better yet, how would you like to win a free copy instead? Okay, send me an email at jensjewels@gmail.com with the correct answer to the following trivia question and you’ll be entered into the contest. Good luck! (Offer void where prohibited.)

What are the names of Josie’s two daughters in The Mill River Redemption?

Next month, I will be chatting with Stephanie Barron about her upcoming release, Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Jane Austen Mystery. Be sure to keep up-to-date on all the latest news in the publishing business by stopping by www.jennifervido.com, follow me on Facebook jennifervido.com, on Twitter and Pinterest @JenniferVido, and on Instagram @JenVido. And as always, thanks for making Jen’s Jewels the ultimate source for news on the web for today’s hottest authors.

09/02/2014

Laurel Harlow was once the princess of Bosque Bend, Texas: every door was open to the only daughter of the beloved minister and his well-bred wife. Then scandal rocked their family-and those same doors slammed shut. Now preparing the family mansion for sale, Laurel wants nothing more than to put the past behind her and move on. But when Jase Redlander appears on her doorstep, sixteen years after he left her heartbroken, she can't turn him away . . . especially when he needs her help.

. . . is the only thing worth coming home for

Jase never intended to come back to this one-horse town. But then his teenage daughter runs away, headed straight for Bosque Bend and the woman he once loved. The moment Jase sees Laurel again, he knows he never should have left all those years ago. There's a secret she's keeping from him, though-he's certain of it. Over the course of sunny days and sultry nights, Jase aims to find out what it is. And this time he'll show Laurel that this bad boy can be the man of her dreams . . . if she'll let him.

About the Author

Jeanell Bolton is an active member of the Austin chapter of Romance Writers of America. She has three children, one husband, and one dog. She lives on five glorious wooded acres in the boondocks of Georgetown, Texas. In past lives, she has been a teacher, an activist, an artist, a journalist, and a chorus director, but she is now settled into writing about deep, dark romances which end up happily ever after, which is how it always should be.

“Your hair is soft as silk,” Jase said, weaving his fingers slowly through the sable strands and watching them fall back in place. She’d worn it the same way as a teenager, he remembered. Sixteen years ago, the style had looked sweet and wholesome, but now it looked incredibly sexy.

He moved his hand along the nape of her neck and traced the curve of her ear, enjoying the way she trembled in response.

“I thought you hated me.” His voice was a low-pitched whisper. In fact, he’d spent his last few days in Bosque Bend expecting to be thrown in jail before finally realizing Laurel hadn't told anyone about their encounter.

Cold comfort. The shame of everyone knowing she’d been touched by Growler Red’s lunkhead son probably would have been even worse than what had actually happened.

She looked at him in surprise. “I never hated you. I was in love with you, but I was too young for what you wanted back then.” She rolled over on her stomach and looked at him through coyly lowered lashes. “But I’m all grown up now.”